Cycling Northern Italy from the Dolomites to the Adriatic
Distance: 40 - 60 km average per day Elevation: 100 - 500 m average per day
An extraordinary cycle route will let you discover unique landscapes, art cities and the largest European thermal district. From the superb Dolomites, part of the UNESCO world heritage list, you will start cycling along the river Adige valley, crossroads between people and cultures.
Heading south you will reach the palmlined shores of Garda Lake and then romantic Verona, the town of Romeo and Juliet. In Vicenza you will be fascinated by the architectural genius of Palladio, who made the town his personal showcase. Further on you will reach the Euganean Hills and their renowned thermal district, the largest in Europe. Beautiful Padua, cradle of arts, will open the way to the Venetian lagoon, where the timeless fascination of Venice has lured passersby for centuries (and still does).
Individual arrival. Located along the Isarco river, bilingual Bolzano has always been at the crossroads between the Mediterranean and central Europe. Today it is an important commercial and tourist city, whose charming centre is dotted with colourful houses in typical Tyrolean style.
You will start riding along the River Adige cycle path, through orchards and the vineyards of the renowned Wine Route. You can choose to ride a hilly variant, which takes you to the beautiful Lake Kaltern, or you can follow the entire bike path along the Adige River, which is completely flat. Half way between Bolzano and Trento you will reach Salorno, which represents the linguistic border between the German and the Italian world. It is possible to shorten the stage by taking the train in several train stations along the way.
The river Adige will take you to Rovereto, famous for its museum of modern and contemporary art. After a short ascent to Passo di San Giovanni, you will enjoy a superb view over the Garda Lake and the little town of Torbole. Then in Riva del Garda you will take a ferry to reach the southern part of the lake.
After crossing the hilly landscape surrounding the Garda Lake, you will meet again the river Adige, which will take you into Verona, one of the most important and beautiful cities in the Veneto region. Worth visiting are: the Roman Arena, the Church of San Zeno and Juliet’s House.
Cycling in the countryside at the foot of Mounts Lessini, among the vineyards you will reach the castle of Soave. Further on the fortress of Brendola will show you the way to the Berici hills and to Vicenza. The old city centre is characterized by beautiful private palaces and public buildings by Andrea Palladio, the famous 16th century architect known all over the world. It is possible to shorten the stage by taking the train in San Bonifacio.
Cycling out of Vicenza, along the cycle path of the river Bacchiglione, you can admire the Palladian masterpiece Villa La Rotonda. Then, past the hamlet of Montegalda, you will head towards the Euganean Hills, where you will have the chance to relax in the largest European thermal district. With a small detour of about 10 km at the end of the stage, you can enjoy a wine and oil tasting (included in the price).
Along the cycle path of the Battaglia Canal you will pass through Padua, home to one of the oldest Italian (and European) universities and rich in art and history. From here, along the Piovego Canal, you will reach Stra and will follow the Brenta Canal, overlooked by the countryside villas of the ancient Venetian nobility (Villa Pisani, Villa Malcontenta, Villa Widmann) until you reach Mestre, Venice mainland.
You can visit Venice, but not with your bike. In Venice (apart from Piazzale Roma and train station Santa Lucia) it is forbidden to cycle, and also to push your bike by hand.
Departure after breakfast. Transfer back to Bolzano on request when booking the tour.
from Bolzano to Venice
Route profile
Train connections among the overnight stays: day 2, 3, 4 and 5
Possibility to shorten the itinerary by taking the train: day 2, 3, 5 and 7.
Activity level
A biking week that pleases everyone, both experienced cyclists and those new to cycling vacations. The route is mostly flat with a few short climbs, and is on bike paths or low-traffic secondary roads. Longer stages can be shortened by taking the train. Care should be taken when entering and leaving cities, as there may be a bit more
traffic, especially near Verona and Vicenza.
Prices per person in a double room in 2027
Departure on Saturdays and Sundays from March 27 to October 16.
Departure also on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from April 13 to September 29.
Category Silver (Standard)
(mainly 3 star hotels and some 2 star hotels)
Surcharge Single room € 380,-
Category Gold (DeLuxe)
(mainly 3 star hotels and some 4 star hotels)
Surcharge Single room € 480,-
Supplements:
Reservation costs € 25,- per booking
Contribution Dutch Guarantee Fund € 5,- per person (Insolvency Protection)
Bike rental:
Extra night in Bolzano (incl. breakfast)
Per person in a double room
Catergory Silver
March - October € 85,-
Surcharge single room € 65,-
Catergory Gold
March - October € 130,-
Surcharge single room € 80,-
Extra night in Mestre, near Venice (incl. breakfast)
Per person in a double room
Catergory Silver
March - October € 70,-
Surcharge single room € 50,-
Catergory Gold
March - October € 85,-
Surcharge single room € 65,-
Transfers
Mestre-Bolzano € 110,- per person without bike, € 155,- per person with own bike (min. 2 persons).
Available on Saturday and Sunday and from April 20 to October 10 also on Tuesday.
Included
7 x nights based on a double room with shower and toilet
7 x breakfast (continental breakfast or in smaller hotels Italian breakfast with coffee and fresh pastries)
Use of app including maps, road book, points of interest and GPS tracks
Digital tour information
Luggage transportation (from day 2 to 7), 1 piece of max 20kg per person
4-hour ferry cruise on Lake Garda on Day 3 (bike incl.)*
Ice-cream in the best ice cream parlour in Vicenza
Wine and oil tasting near the Padua thermal district
Service Support line
* In case of cancellation or in the event of a storm the ferry boat service will be replaced by alternative mean of transport (usually by bus). The same applies if the ferry boat service is no longer foreseen (for example at the end of the season).
Not included
Reservation costs
Contribution Dutch Guarantee Fund (Insolvency Protection)
Local taxes, to be paid locally (approx. € 15,-/ € 20,- per person)
Venice Municipality Access Fee: approx. € 5,-/ € 10,- to be paid on site
Everything not mentioned in the section “Included”
Special details
The day of arrival is the first day of the trip, you start cycling the next day. The arrival time is not specified, but be aware that often the rooms will not be available before 3 p.m. At the reception you will get the tour information.
How to get there:
Plane
Bolzano is connected with the following airports: Verona (150 km) and Venice (280 km), from here you can take a shuttlebus and train to Bolzano. For further information about timetables and prices, please check the following websites: www.aeroportoverona.it, www.veniceairport.it, www.trenitalia.com
Train
For further information on timetables and prices you can consult the following website
www.trenitalia.com
End of the tour
Our services end the last day of the tour after breakfast. We remind you that luggage transportation is never included in case of extra nights before or after the tour.
How to go back
At the end of the tour, if you need to return to Bolzano, you can take the train or book a transfer:
We personally choose all the hotels mindful of your comfort as well as the proximity to cycling paths and any relevant local sites.
You will be accommodated according to your choice of category:
All rooms have en suite facilities and have air conditioning.
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When you book the tour please specify the type of room requested:
- double room is a room with one double bed
- twin room is a room with two single beds
- triple room is usually a room with one double bed and a single bed or a sofa bed.
(Please note that the hotels listed are only examples and are subject to change. You will find your final hotel in the hotel list, which you will receive before departure)
Hotel Magdalener Hof is set in a quiet area on the outskirts of Bolzano. The restaurant, terrace, and swimming pool all offer beautiful views of the Dolomites. All rooms offer a private bathroom and a patio or balcony. Some rooms offer extra space.
Grand Hotel Trento is an impressive elliptic building in the city centre, just off Piazza Dante. It offers a wellness centre, a gourmet restaurant, and elegant rooms with wooden furniture. Each room is soundproofed and comes with soft carpeted floors and a flat-screen TV.
The Puccini is set right on the shore of Lake Garda. It offers an outdoor pool. Guest rooms are equipped with air conditioning, free WiFi and an LCD TV. A free internet station is also available at reception.
Hotel San Marco Fitness Pool & Spa is located 4 km from the historic center. Rooms are air conditioned and have a flat-screen TV. Available at extra charge, the spa includes a wide range of relaxing treatments. The free outdoor pool is open in the summer months.
Set in the city centre within easy reach of all landmarks, Hotel De La Ville offers elegant, air-conditioned rooms with satellite TV and free wired internet. Vicenza Train Station is 1 km away.
Located in the Euganei Hills of Galzignano Terme, Hotel Sporting offers an outdoor-, indoor pool and a fitness centre. A wellness centre with massage services as well as Turkish and hot spring baths. The air-conditioned rooms have a minibar and a flat-screen TV.
Set in a large peaceful park, Ai Pini offers a large buffet breakfast and excellent public transport links. It is a 20-minute bus ride from Venice. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. Park Hotel Ai Pini features bright rooms with wood or carpeted floors.
The rental bikes are available in different sizes and frames:
Accessories
All rented adult bikes are equipped with:
Important notes:
We recommend that you bring your own reusable water bottle with you.
In order to cycle smoothly following our app, we suggest that you bring with you a holder for your mobile phone to be fixed on the handlebar, as well as a power bank (even if the app can be used offline, too).
For more comfort when pedalling, you can bring your own gel saddle cover. Our saddles are 17,8 cm / 7 inches wide.
By this tour you can rent the following bikes:
A low entry unisex frame, ideal for an upright but relaxed riding position.
Unisex low-entry frame. Bosch motor. Range: approx 90 km (flat terrain, average speed).
Tour programme variations
Due to organisational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way you may find temporary deviations caused by roadworks, which cannot be foreseen; in this case please follow the indications you will find on site.
In case of strike, bad weather conditions, technical breakdowns, safety problems or any other reason preventing the regular departure of the ferry boat (from Riva del Garda to Peschiera/Desenzano), the ferry boat company can delay, cancel or deviate the navigation without notice. In case of cancellation the ferry boat service will be replaced by alternative means of transport (usually by bus). The same applies if the ferry boat service is no longer foreseen (for example at the end of the season).
Luggage
Your luggage will be transported from hotel to hotel every day starting from the second day of the standard tour until the last day of the tour. U need to leave your luggage at the reception no later than 9.30 a.m. and you can collect it in the next hotel from 17.30 p.m.
We remind you that luggage transportation is never included in case of extra nights before or after the standard tour.
Luggage allowance
For the luggage transportation we accept only 1 piece of luggage per person with max. 20kg.
We’ll send you the luggage labels per e-mail with the information material and you have to print them, fill them out and attach them on each piece of luggage to be transported.
You cannot change the number of pieces of luggage during the tour.
Forbidden goods
It is strictly forbidden to put the following items inside the luggage to be transported:
- medicines and lifesaver devices
- glass bottles and liquids in general
- fragile objects
We will not be held responsible for damages caused by non-compliance with these rules.
Equipment and clothing
The following personal equipment is recommended:
The following recommended clothes are advisable:
During the tour you will have the chance to visit various religious institutions, such as churches and convents, where you must be appropriately dressed (covered shoulders, shoes or sandals, etc...).
Useful hints and tips
We recommend that you always keep with you:
- passport/identity card
- hotel vouchers
- any medicines you could need during the day
- personal belongings (for example car keys)